Candid
by VesperRegina
Summary: Before the party.


Title: Candid  
Author: Vesper (Regina)  
Rating: T, for sexiness  
Category: Fluff, fluffy fluff fluff...I think...yep, fluff.  
Codes: R/S  
Summary: Before the party.  
Disclaimer: Star Trek is owned by Paramount.  
Archival: Permission to Linguistics Database and Warp 5 Complex (EntSTCommunity). Anyone else, please link to my website.  
Notes: Inspired by the E-Bay candid photos.

* * *

A dark head with wet, spiky hair popped around the edge of a door and watched the occupant of the room brush her hair for a few seconds before saying, "What time did we need to be there, Hoshi?"

Hoshi didn't bother looking away from the mirror.

"Starts at nine, Malcolm."

"Oh, right."

He disappeared.

What the--

Hoshi stared at the mirror and at the little crease appearing between her eyebrows.

"Malcolm!" she yelled.

"What?"

"Why are you asking me? You've been talking about this for weeks!"

Malcolm's head popped back around the door, a wide grin on his face. He raised his hand and made a tick mark in the air with his finger.

Hoshi rolled her eyes.

"Stop wasting time, Malcolm."

He waggled his eyebrows at her, the insufferable grin still in place.

"Couldn't resist, love," he said, "you just looked so involved--feeling a bit like Narcissus tonight?" His eyes drifted down her body, lingering in certain places with obvious relish. He whistled appreciatively, then said, "Narcissus never had your body."

Hoshi snorted. "You make a poor Echo. Go back to your bathroom; I need my mirror time."

He laughed and said, "Narcissist." He left quickly before he could receive the full strength of the glare she shot him.

"Perv!" she called after him, not irritated in the slightest.

His loud laugh made her smile. Her reflection's eyes blinked brightly at her, slightly crinkled at the corners. If she knew her husband, she knew exactly what he would say next. She mouthed the words even as he shouted back, "You married me!"

Hoshi left the bathroom, noticing that Malcolm had picked up her dress from the foot of the bed and draped it on a hanger, then hooked it over the top of the bathroom door. She shook her head at this further evidence of Malcolm's inherent neatness. She pulled it off the hanger and over her head. She was placing the hanger in the closet after fastening the dress when Malcolm's voice rang through the house again.

"Hoshi!"

He sounded a tad frustrated.

"What?"

"I can't find my--oh, never mind!"

She smiled and went back into the bathroom, adjusting the gauzy top on the way.

A moment later, Malcolm appeared, buttoning the cuffs of a light blue shirt. He said, "Thank you, love."

"You're welcome."

Hoshi finished applying her lipstick and turned to look at him, noting that his hair was dry now. She whistled, long and low; he looked up, surprised.

She cocked an eyebrow and tilted her head. "What? Can't I express my appreciation?"

"Any time. For my part, I much preferred the way you looked before."

"Well, I can't exactly go to a party dressed in my underwear, can I?" She took a look at the contemplative purse of his lips and said quickly, "Don't answer that."

He narrowed his eyes at her, but said nothing.

She turned back to the mirror and adjusted her hair by flipping it over her shoulder. She said, "You know what might look good, Malcolm?"

"What?"

She flashed him a bright smile and stepped closer to him, placing a hand on his chest.

"If you wore that leather jacket."

"Can't resist a man in leather, eh, Hoshi?"

"Oh, I can resist a man in leather; I just can't resist you in leather."

She smiled up at him, eyes sparkling.

"Good idea." He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and said, "Be right back."

She took the opportunity to reach for a bottle of perfume and dabbed a little on. She left the bathroom and went into the main room, where she found Malcolm putting on his shoes.

"Ready, Malcolm?"

"Almost."

He stood up and she walked toward the door, picking up a small jeweled handbag on the way. She opened it, checking its contents and Malcolm paused behind her.

He leaned forward, then said, "Mmm. What is that?"

She answered calmly, her attention still on the purse, "The perfume you bought me."

He moved closer, pulling back the hair from her neck, pushing it aside to reveal her ear. He brought his lips down close to it and murmured, "No bloody fair. You expect me to go all night smelling that? You know what it does to me."

"It'll give you something to look forward to."

"Or something to savor now."

He nuzzled her ear and Hoshi tried to suppress a shiver. She clicked the purse shut and said, "We don't have a now, Malcolm. We need to leave."

"Do we?"

She felt the slide of his tongue against her earlobe and her eyelids involuntarily started to close.

"Malcolm."

"Hmm?"

"Don't start what you don't have time to finish."

He let go of her earlobe and groaned.

"Oh, bloody--" The rest of what he said was lost as Hoshi reached up and pulled him down with a hand behind his neck, giving him a long and thorough kiss. When she pulled away, he had a glazed look in his eyes.

She said, "Come on, Malcolm." She patted him on the cheek and turned away, heading towards the door again.

Malcolm shook his head, sense coming back into his eyes and followed after her.

He said, "I'm holding you to that promise."

"Oh, I expect you to."

"Good."

Hoshi opened the door, then looked back at Malcolm.

"After you."

He gave her a confused look, but went through. As he passed she reached out and slapped him on the bottom.

"Ow! Hoshi!"

He gave her glare, only to see her writing an invisible tick mark.

"You cheeky--" he sputtered for a third word.

She swept past him, out the door, shutting it firmly. She glanced back at him smugly and said, "You like me that way."

He said, "You'll pay for that!"

She retorted, "Just try!"

Smack!

Hoshi's voice, slightly outraged and bubbling with laughter, whooped, "Malcolm!"

"Tit for tat, Hoshi. Tit for tat."

End.


End file.
